it's so easy for male guitar "teachers" to fall into the pit of mansplaining and then never actually communicate anything useful. This is not one of those videos haha
I've watched two of your videos - this one and the one on slap strumming - and they are both pure gold. Thank you! You have a wonderfully empathetic teaching style and lots of great tips. The only tip I would add for barre chords is that thumb placement really matters - you want the thumb under the middle of the neck, to maximize the force your barring finger exerts.
The amazing thing is that this is just common sense that all guitar teachers should know and should be teaching. I'm a beginner and I decided to try the same thing. I gave up on trying to build up finger strength by barring all six strings and sound like shit but hope it will start getting better over the months. Slowly increasing number of strings sounds better to the ear as well as slowly building up strength at same time. Starting from the 5th fret is a good idea that did not occur to me but makes sense also. Just shows how important it is to find a good teacher.
This is hands down the most useful advice I've seen or heard on practicing barre chords. Minor chords with a root on the 6th are no longer a problem for me. Keep up the good work.
I started out just trying to barre the first fret, not even trying to form a full chord. At first it seemed completely impossible. After doing the exercises for a couple of weeks, I’m finally able to get all the strings to ring out! Doing the exercises really works, so keep at it and keep your hopes up!
Brothaman! I can’t tell you how incredible the feeling was to finally transition from an E to Bb. And I feel way more comfortable tackling any song/barre chord I come across. It took a lot of practicing and hand/finger conditioning. Your lesson and excercise truly truly truly truly helped! Thank you, again!
Peter Glen that’s so awesome to hear. I’m in process of tackling the Barr chords, it’s definitely one of the hardest things I’ve had to accomplish and that’s no joke. Wish me luck, I’m gonna need it.
Bought a guitar just after Christmas... at 57yrs of age...to while away the winter nights in the motorhome in the UK Got it back to van and thought i'd made a big mistake!!!... Then I stumbled upon your tube channel... "sweet home Alabama"... After the finger-tip pain .. and bum notes ...stuck with it and practice every day.. now all calloused up ;) and clean notes on about 9 or ten chords.. Never thought I'd ever be able to play a bar chord though ... but with your Malibu I found I could get that Bb/C ... after "improvising" on a failed F from another song... I can now bar to 5th string... but have to use the side of finger.. and I just can't reach that 6th with my short fingers at that angle and fret anything else... I'd bought an entry level Yamaha F310.. and have since fitted new strings after snapping "e" whilst messing with GAD-DAD... I've considered looking for something with a narrower neck.. but then I'd have a fat finger syndrome issue... I think Any suggestions ? Great channel with clear and succinct step by step lessons... a pleasure to watch and follow Kind regards John T
Hey, Joanie, This is J.T. from the USA. I just started last January and I'm 64. You know what edge we have on younger players? We usually are dedicated and committed to our endeavors won't give up.
Thank you! I found you by random chance, and incorporated this exercise into my daily practice. Three weeks later (I had an injury, not related to your exercise) I decided to try the F barre, and it rang out perfectly on my nylon-strung guitar! The next day, it also rang out beautifully on my metal-strung guitar! I never thought I'd master a barre chord, but you made it possible. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I'm literally trying this right now and it's helping. My problem was I wasn't applying enough pressure on the barre but when I do it sounds great. Great advice dude.
Great tips! It works for me. Another related tip that will help your other fingers have more dexterity while practicing this is to work on playing A and C chords without using your index finger. Even after I got the index finger down for Barre chords, my other fingers didn’t cooperate - practicing chords without using your index finger helps a lot
I've been playing for quite a while and I havent been able to play a lot of songs that i wanted to because I can't do barre chords So I just played fingerstyle and learned how to play river flows in you This video really gave me that encouragement
I rediscovered my guitar about a year ago (after a nearly 30 year hiatus), and have had to retrain a lot of old muscles. I have always managed barre chords, but not mastered. I am excited to find this exercise and can't wait to improve the strength of my left hand and the sound of the chords.
Ben Allmark I can fret 3 strings at 5th fret now. And on a very good day I can play an E maj bar chord(7th fret) but I’m still sloppy. The problem is I always have wrist pain and I’m deathly afraid of getting carpal tunnel. I have to work on my technique. Also my guitar has crazy high action(like 5 mm at 12th fret) and I’m broke so it’s the only one I have. So it’s hard to play but I’m trying.
Thank you very much. My name is Philip savage and I'm legally blind. And I'm trying to learn guitar, and I'm 56. Have a blessed day, and thank you very much for this information on barcode.
Wow.... Great thinking... With your exercise, I can boost my learning process faster than I imagined earlier.... You are the best to find in the air. I learn something new every time I watch your videos. Thanks...
Great stuff. I find this very encouraging. Just to know this is difficult for everybody but everybody can achieve it eventually with the right exercises done in the right way.
Thank you for this!!! I’ve always felt I’m more than experienced enough to be playing these chords, now with your help I’ve realized that it’s not my skill level at all; my hands just aren’t conditioned enough! Super huge confidence boost. I’m gonna start doing this every time I practice!
Also you can use a Kyser capo. hold it between your thumb and pointer finger and squeeze it shut (or open) as many times as you can, I usually do about 20 reps at at a time.
Going to start doing this exercise every day. I can consistently get 3 every time and with some work I can hit 4. I'll respond to this post when I can get 6! This post is on Nov 15th, 2021.
I did this continuously for 1 month straight, turns out it works. I can play the F chord with 3 strings barred, (I know it''s not all 6 and thus not good enough, but i couldn't even do 2 simultaneously before) it sounds pretty good and I can slide it too. Got a pretty realistic result I guess
Its just really... really works !!! But some efforts is needed. After finishing my daily practice I just play it 2-3 times from 5-9 Frets... It will will take some time but definitely works and fingers get really numb but efforts will surely brings fruits when you hear that soothing bar chords sound without buzz. 👍 Thanks
That is very helpful. I'd already been doing something similar all the way from fret 1 to fret 12. I started off just with 2 strings all the way down and then 3, 4, 5 and now I can barre all the way down the fret board with my index finger. My problem is trying to do it while use the other fingers on different strings. Then I get the muted or buzz. But this was still helpful cause I wasn't lifting my finger between frets. Thank you, that was very encouraging to me.
I've played since 1972. Bar chords which I do mainly at times in classical music are my Achilles heel! I was thinking also to strengthen my hand with a hand grip. Or a ball.
@@selenc.3324 I’ve been able to do them for over a month now on electric! still working on gaining more muscle to apply on my acoustic but it’s going great and I’m working on learning all of the shapes :) good luck you can do it! practice and practice till you get it I’m sure you will!
@@dannyboy4152 You're amazing :) I've been practicing on my nylon string guitar for 2 weeks now and I could bar all the 6 strings a few times. Now I believe that I can do it. Gotta keep practicing like you said :)
Ive been learning to play a song called "demon", and there was some mini barre chords there and i struggled doing those cause it hurts, and now after watching this, I improved
Very cool! Yes, this was helpful, while battling the dreaded F, any advice and tips is appreciated and useful. Excellent teaching...thanks, best of luck to you.
I was avoiding to learn barre chord for 2 months and just playing with open chords...and now I started playing barre chord yesterday...it hurts and I can’t play it for too long because of pain...sometimes it does sound good...sometimes it does not even make any sound... I can’t wait to learn it because barre chords can play most of the chord just by changing shapes. Hopefully, I perfect barre chord in one or two months.
I did it while for the 8 minutes of the video and I’m already tired. Haha. This seems like a great exercise to do everyday so I’m looking forward to the next few weeks when hopefully my barres improve.
Thank you so much. I.m looking forward to mastering my bar chords. Also, I now know that I'll be able to play a B flat without having a long pause in order to get my fingers 'just right'.
Slowly but surely you'll get there Don't give up brother, Give yourself at least 2 weeks minimum to practice only barre chords i tell you... you'll be surprised when it just starts clicking out of nowhere
it’s so worth it dude, I have been playing for 2 years now and I was a year in and still couldn’t get anything right but once I got the hang of it I couldn’t stop playing.
Well, it is a Taylor, one of the best factory produced guitar builders in the world. Although, if I was going to spend that money on an acoustic guitar again, I'd go for a Martin.
David, very helpful video. What caught my eye immediately was that your wrist was straight, or had very little break in it. Would love see a video just on that. It almost seems impossible to play a barre chord with a straight wrist, until I see a video like yours. My fretting hand wrist gets very sore playing barres, and I do not want problems like carpel tunnel in the future. Again, would be awesome to see a lesson from you on that. Either way, thanks for the assistance.
it works!! i did this exercise everyday for 2 weeks and now i can play a barre chord perfectly!
You just gave me hope !
Charlie x that’s exiting to hear. I’m having a tough time.
Ben Allmark barre chords are super difficult, but eventually you will be able to do it without any problems!
Charlie x I hope your right. Thanks for the vote of confidence.
You gave me hope. I'm hoping it works.
Do you know what I love most about your videos? You're GENUINELY encouraging. It completely comes off as "hey dude - you can do this!" Awesome work.
it's so easy for male guitar "teachers" to fall into the pit of mansplaining and then never actually communicate anything useful. This is not one of those videos haha
@@jmacsfuzzbunny that has nothing to do with being a male. Anyone can be an asshole
You are the only person that ever addressed this subject with ease
I've watched two of your videos - this one and the one on slap strumming - and they are both pure gold. Thank you! You have a wonderfully empathetic teaching style and lots of great tips. The only tip I would add for barre chords is that thumb placement really matters - you want the thumb under the middle of the neck, to maximize the force your barring finger exerts.
The amazing thing is that this is just common sense that all guitar teachers should know and should be teaching. I'm a beginner and I decided to try the same thing. I gave up on trying to build up finger strength by barring all six strings and sound like shit but hope it will start getting better over the months. Slowly increasing number of strings sounds better to the ear as well as slowly building up strength at same time. Starting from the 5th fret is a good idea that did not occur to me but makes sense also. Just shows how important it is to find a good teacher.
I’ve been playing sloppy barre chords where the 5th string doesn’t ring out for way too long, these exercises have been helping a lot! Thank you!
This is hands down the most useful advice I've seen or heard on practicing barre chords. Minor chords with a root on the 6th are no longer a problem for me. Keep up the good work.
I started out just trying to barre the first fret, not even trying to form a full chord. At first it seemed completely impossible. After doing the exercises for a couple of weeks, I’m finally able to get all the strings to ring out! Doing the exercises really works, so keep at it and keep your hopes up!
This is what I needed. My hand was just not conditioned enough. Little by little I can feel and hear the difference.
Peter Glen how up you coming along with the Barr chords ?
Brothaman! I can’t tell you how incredible the feeling was to finally transition from an E to Bb. And I feel way more comfortable tackling any song/barre chord I come across. It took a lot of practicing and hand/finger conditioning. Your lesson and excercise truly truly truly truly helped! Thank you, again!
Peter Glen that’s so awesome to hear. I’m in process of tackling the Barr chords, it’s definitely one of the hardest things I’ve had to accomplish and that’s no joke. Wish me luck, I’m gonna need it.
@@benallmark9671 You totally got this! It is no joke!!! Hahahahaha. I ran down and announced it to the entire house when I got it the first time.
Peter Glen that’s awesome !
Bought a guitar just after Christmas... at 57yrs of age...to while away the winter nights in the motorhome in the UK
Got it back to van and thought i'd made a big mistake!!!...
Then I stumbled upon your tube channel... "sweet home Alabama"...
After the finger-tip pain .. and bum notes ...stuck with it and practice every day.. now all calloused up ;) and clean notes on about 9 or ten chords..
Never thought I'd ever be able to play a bar chord though ...
but with your Malibu I found I could get that Bb/C ... after "improvising" on a failed F from another song...
I can now bar to 5th string... but have to use the side of finger.. and I just can't reach that 6th with my short fingers at that angle and fret anything else...
I'd bought an entry level Yamaha F310.. and have since fitted new strings after snapping "e" whilst messing with GAD-DAD...
I've considered looking for something with a narrower neck.. but then I'd have a fat finger syndrome issue... I think
Any suggestions ?
Great channel with clear and succinct step by step lessons... a pleasure to watch and follow
Kind regards
John T
JonnieGS1200 wow
Marky Andrea Cagurangan wow indeed
Wowwww
A travel guitar has a narrow neck. Check it out at a store...
Hey, Joanie, This is J.T. from the USA. I just started last January and I'm 64. You know what edge we have on younger players? We usually are dedicated and committed to our endeavors won't give up.
The encouragement you give is the best part here. Yeah it takes a bit of discomfort but nothing worth learning is supposed to be easy!
Thank you! I found you by random chance, and incorporated this exercise into my daily practice. Three weeks later (I had an injury, not related to your exercise) I decided to try the F barre, and it rang out perfectly on my nylon-strung guitar! The next day, it also rang out beautifully on my metal-strung guitar! I never thought I'd master a barre chord, but you made it possible. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I'm literally trying this right now and it's helping. My problem was I wasn't applying enough pressure on the barre but when I do it sounds great. Great advice dude.
I’m gonna start doing this exercise
Wish me luck!!
best of luck
any improvement ?
You get it down yet?
Any improvement ?
Did you die of frustration?
Great tips! It works for me. Another related tip that will help your other fingers have more dexterity while practicing this is to work on playing A and C chords without using your index finger. Even after I got the index finger down for Barre chords, my other fingers didn’t cooperate - practicing chords without using your index finger helps a lot
The most helpful exercise I've come across for getting to grips with barre cords.
I've been playing for quite a while and I havent been able to play a lot of songs that i wanted to because I can't do barre chords
So I just played fingerstyle and learned how to play river flows in you
This video really gave me that encouragement
You're... You're user name is literally just son... How does this happen?!
Did u get it
Same!!!
I’ve been playing for a year now and this is the most valuable lesson in guitar I’ve ever known even though I know how to play bar chords
Agree
This is excellent guidance with super clear instructions and expert tips. Some of the best guitar tuition on UA-cam!
I will try it. Hopefully I remember to update the comment after 2 weeks. Wish me luck
I rediscovered my guitar about a year ago (after a nearly 30 year hiatus), and have had to retrain a lot of old muscles. I have always managed barre chords, but not mastered. I am excited to find this exercise and can't wait to improve the strength of my left hand and the sound of the chords.
I never knew I could practice like this. I’m going to use this exercise now. Hopefully I’ll be able to barre by the end of the year.
Any improvement?
@@miguelvictorsidbautista5349 Not yet lol. I can bar 3 strings at fret 5 but that's about it.
@@knunniek.9304 thanks. Atleast youre improving, doesnt matter if it slow or fast.
How’s your progress coming using this exercise or maybe you found another way ??
Ben Allmark I can fret 3 strings at 5th fret now. And on a very good day I can play an E maj bar chord(7th fret) but I’m still sloppy. The problem is I always have wrist pain and I’m deathly afraid of getting carpal tunnel. I have to work on my technique. Also my guitar has crazy high action(like 5 mm at 12th fret) and I’m broke so it’s the only one I have. So it’s hard to play but I’m trying.
I started on my RiffBandz finger strengthener yesterday And They Work‼️but this barre chord excises are gawd sent 🙏🏾 starting tonight‼️
That middle finger bolster works so well instantly! whoooo!
Thanks ! That makes a lot of sense and I've been avoiding them for decades !! I'll give it a dedicated go !👍
This is awesome, this is really helping me, I couldn’t do it AT ALL before. I’m working my way up
not going to lie I didn’t think this would work so well. thank you so much bro.
I'm not there yet but there is light at the end of the tunnel now. FINALLY. Thanks, dude.
This looks like the most helpful video on UA-cam , I’m getting right in this, hopefully I can nail it soon
No joke, this is the smartest and most useful video on barre chords I've found (and I've seen A LOT). Thank you so much!
Great lesson. I will start to practise this way today. Thank you. Paul Lucas.
Thank you very much. My name is Philip savage and I'm legally blind. And I'm trying to learn guitar, and I'm 56. Have a blessed day, and thank you very much for this information on barcode.
this lesson was so glamorous.
Yes finally! I've been searching for this kind of video whole day long and here it is phew! you gave me such a relief man thanks:)
Love you
Alwin Crasta how are your bar chords now?
Wow.... Great thinking... With your exercise, I can boost my learning process faster than I imagined earlier.... You are the best to find in the air. I learn something new every time I watch your videos. Thanks...
Great stuff. I find this very encouraging. Just to know this is difficult for everybody but everybody can achieve it eventually with the right exercises done in the right way.
Good tip this is really helpful unlike other who just want be fancy and don’t teach much.....thanks alot
Thank you for this!!! I’ve always felt I’m more than experienced enough to be playing these chords, now with your help I’ve realized that it’s not my skill level at all; my hands just aren’t conditioned enough! Super huge confidence boost. I’m gonna start doing this every time I practice!
Thx a lot mate! I've done it just like for 2 days and i can see some progression
Awesome video. Thanks 💯❤️🎸
Wow... This is a great exercise, David.
This should have more views!!!
Your practice tips are actually amazing, I never comment but you deserve some gold or something
Also you can use a Kyser capo. hold it between your thumb and pointer finger and squeeze it shut (or open) as many times as you can, I usually do about 20 reps at at a time.
Going to start doing this exercise every day. I can consistently get 3 every time and with some work I can hit 4. I'll respond to this post when I can get 6! This post is on Nov 15th, 2021.
i will start this exercise now, im going to update you guys on my progress.
Alright
I'll d the same
any update? ahah
Noticed improvement after the first time practicing this. It's now part of my routine going forward. Thank you.
I did this continuously for 1 month straight, turns out it works.
I can play the F chord with 3 strings barred, (I know it''s not all 6 and thus not good enough, but i couldn't even do 2 simultaneously before) it sounds pretty good and I can slide it too.
Got a pretty realistic result I guess
most practical vid I've seen, thanks
the best video for how to practice barre chord..
awesome, finally some practice techniques so that i can finally learn how to play "green days - 21 days"
Its just really... really works !!! But some efforts is needed. After finishing my daily practice I just play it 2-3 times from 5-9 Frets... It will will take some time but definitely works and fingers get really numb but efforts will surely brings fruits when you hear that soothing bar chords sound without buzz. 👍 Thanks
That is very helpful. I'd already been doing something similar all the way from fret 1 to fret 12. I started off just with 2 strings all the way down and then 3, 4, 5 and now I can barre all the way down the fret board with my index finger. My problem is trying to do it while use the other fingers on different strings. Then I get the muted or buzz. But this was still helpful cause I wasn't lifting my finger between frets. Thank you, that was very encouraging to me.
Thank u. I was frustrated. Now i have something to work on.
I've played since 1972. Bar chords which I do mainly at times in classical music are my Achilles heel! I was thinking also to strengthen my hand with a hand grip. Or a ball.
I thought I was just disabled but I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling this video helped
Done! Thankx for the exercise ... The best intro to learn how to skank!!!
I’m starting this today and I’ll update when I hopefully get it!
Hey, how's it going? I'm beginnig today :)
@@selenc.3324 I’ve been able to do them for over a month now on electric! still working on gaining more muscle to apply on my acoustic but it’s going great and I’m working on learning all of the shapes :) good luck you can do it! practice and practice till you get it I’m sure you will!
@@dannyboy4152 You're amazing :) I've been practicing on my nylon string guitar for 2 weeks now and I could bar all the 6 strings a few times. Now I believe that I can do it. Gotta keep practicing like you said :)
The best one yet
when u start these types of exercises it will hurt ur fingers a lot but when u do it everyday then it will be easy to do barre chords
Ive been learning to play a song called "demon", and there was some mini barre chords there and i struggled doing those cause it hurts, and now after watching this, I improved
This is the most helpful lesson I’ve found on UA-cam, you are a great teacher! Can’t wait to learn more from you, subscribed. 😊
Very helpful tips to develop playing barre chords! will try it for sure
Just found you David. Lokking forward to learning from you. Starting from scratch @56 years of age...here goes nothing.
I'm starting from scratch at 51. I hear ya! Good luck buddy.
this is a great video! i thought i'd never be able to play barre chords but im getting there thanks to this tutorial
Alright, just started doing the exercise today. Fingers crossed I master barre chords by the end of the year :)
Haha same
progress?
Great lesson so clear and well explained thanks
Love the tips and tricks.
Oooh... thank God I found this!!!I will practice and return...it is so frustrating,can't continue my Spanish romance because of half barre...
Thanks, I love you as a student.
Thanks for this Getting better at the bars but it's taken years already. This will help!!!! I have a lot of trouble with The Bb
Very cool! Yes, this was helpful, while battling the dreaded F, any advice and tips is appreciated and useful. Excellent teaching...thanks, best of luck to you.
I was avoiding to learn barre chord for 2 months and just playing with open chords...and now I started playing barre chord yesterday...it hurts and I can’t play it for too long because of pain...sometimes it does sound good...sometimes it does not even make any sound... I can’t wait to learn it because barre chords can play most of the chord just by changing shapes. Hopefully, I perfect barre chord in one or two months.
Thanks for the advice I am going to try what you suggested 🎶🎵😁
I did it while for the 8 minutes of the video and I’m already tired. Haha.
This seems like a great exercise to do everyday so I’m looking forward to the next few weeks when hopefully my barres improve.
How did it go??
This is a miracle
thanks sir! its really works!!!!! omg! been struggling it for months😭😭
Excellent suggestion. Thanks.
Thank you so much 😁 after watching your video now I'm able to set my barre chord🤗
im gonna do this for a week bc i struggle with this everytime i gotta play F#m or C#! wish me luck!!
Thank you so much. I.m looking forward to mastering my bar chords. Also, I now know that I'll be able to play a B flat without having a long pause in order to get my fingers 'just right'.
Very helpful!😎Thank you !!!
Thank you for this great lesson!
i was looking for something like this..i will practice this its great tx
Slowly but surely you'll get there
Don't give up brother, Give yourself at least 2 weeks minimum to practice only barre chords i tell you... you'll be surprised when it just starts clicking out of nowhere
Thanks sir it really helps me thanks alot im just a begginer
Wow, I was doing another exercise but this is truly a beginners Dream. Thanx..
Barre chords I almost felt like breaking my guitar😭😭😭. It's so frustrating
But is sound so cool when you get it..
it’s so worth it dude, I have been playing for 2 years now and I was a year in and still couldn’t get anything right but once I got the hang of it I couldn’t stop playing.
remember it’s not hard, it’s just new
@@sam-sx5if I needed to see this.
@@sam-sx5if 👏🏾🏆 Thank you I’ll take that with me
Very helpful! Thanks for sharing this tip.
I'll try that, i hope to get that done in a week
Bruh you got an awesome sense of humor.
Thanks,..will give it a go!
Thank you. I have been having trouble with Barre chords. This will really help. :)
Yay! Thank you for this wonderful exercise :) SO EXCITED TO ADD THIS TO MY PRACTICE
omg this is actually amzing thank you
First of all, that guitar sounds awesome!
Well, it is a Taylor, one of the best factory produced guitar builders in the world. Although, if I was going to spend that money on an acoustic guitar again, I'd go for a Martin.
🎸Excellent!!! Thank you🥰🥰🥰
David, very helpful video. What caught my eye immediately was that your wrist was straight, or had very little break in it. Would love see a video just on that. It almost seems impossible to play a barre chord with a straight wrist, until I see a video like yours. My fretting hand wrist gets very sore playing barres, and I do not want problems like carpel tunnel in the future. Again, would be awesome to see a lesson from you on that. Either way, thanks for the assistance.
Thanks David!
Very helpful, thanks!